


Normal In Shoreditch

by Danruu



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, But mostly just Londoners, Drinking, Hipsters, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, London, M/M, Past Drug Addiction, Sex, Smoking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-05-21
Packaged: 2018-03-31 14:35:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3981718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danruu/pseuds/Danruu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dreaded Hipster AU I started as a joke then took over... Cullen is a confused Londoner trying to move on from a messy breakup, Dorian is far too cool to be a hipster... Their friends like to meddle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cullrian hipster AU set in the heart of hipster London: Shoreditch/Hoxton, because there's far too many modern AUs featuring them in America. I am here to be painfully British. 
> 
> Small note for reference: You can’t smoke inside bars/pubs/clubs in the UK, so they’re banished to the dreaded Smoking Area, where hipster couples are formed. The bar they’re in is, in fact, a real bar that I’ve been to, they even have a website! 
> 
> I enjoy the idea that Cullen is the worst at being a cool hipster, and is in fact just a bit of a slob but happens to fit in because he’s a cutie xD 
> 
> I hate you starfleetspectre, who inspired all of this with amazing art. I will probably write more of this. (I will definitely write more of this. There isn’t enough Samson in this…)

This bar had a silly name, Cullen had decided between drinks, but Josie seemed to like it, and that had pretty much decided where they were going to spend the next hour or so before the nightclubs opened. At least he could keep his beanie on in bars like this, even if Leliana was tutting at him every so often.

All the talk of promotions and new diets made him twitchy, and Cullen could only last so long. “Cigarette break.” He announced to the table, earning him a disapproving look from Cassandra.

“You should quit.” She said in that infuriatingly simple way she did, just like when she’d said he should stop eating meat. And drinking milk. And eating cheese. It would be a cold day in hell before he quit either animal products or smoking, and he told her so, to be answered only with a disgusted noise.

It seemed no one else was willing to step out into the cold December air to join him, and Cullen was rather grateful for a break in the noise.

He’d like to say it was a meeting of eyes across the crowded smoking area, but that was never going to be how he met someone. Instead he met someone by walking straight into them while checking out a girl with some very cool tattoos. Drink was spilled, cigarettes were dropped, and by the time Cullen was done apologising repeatedly he was already red in the face.

“No harm done.” The man flashed him a charming smile, and Cullen noticed several things. The ridiculous yet somehow rather fetching moustache, the fact this man wasn’t wearing a jacket or indeed anything with sleeves in the middle of December, and the fact he had some really good tattoos. Better than the girl he’d been looking at before he’d made a complete fool of himself.

If Cullen was better at being a normal, functioning human being then perhaps he’d have attempted to start up a conversation, instead he looked a little surprised and turned around to light his cigarette and try and look inconspicuous. Lucky for him, the moustachioed, tattooed, sleeveless man was better at this than him.

“Come to enjoy the fresh air with the rest of the dwindling smoker population?” Granted it wasn’t the best opening line, given Cullen was already smoking so it was reasonably clear what he was out there to do, but it was far superior to anything Cullen could have come up with, and he smiled gratefully.

“Yeah… And sorry again about walking into you…” Cullen tried not to make it too obvious he was staring by pointedly looking everywhere but at the man opposite him.

“I’m Dorian, and as a regular of Zigfrid von Underbelly, the most ridiculously named bar in Hoxton, I have to say I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

Of course he was a regular here. Cullen felt the corners of his mouth twitch. “Cullen. My first time here, my friends dragged… um… asked me to come along.” Insulting the bar that Dorian had just told him was his regular was probably not the best way to go about things, but Dorian seemed to find it amusing.

Chatting like this felt good, Cullen couldn’t remember the last time he’d started a conversation with a stranger in a bar. But that’s because he was bad at getting over ‘it’ and moving on, according to his wise group of friends, who could be forgiven for thinking it was as simple as that.

So he savoured this, the relatively inane chatter with someone he knew nothing about save he was eccentric and had more tattoos than him (not that he’d counted). Dorian was eloquent and waved his hands wildly when he spoke, sending ash flying in a way that was quite endearing.

After their second cigarette it seemed Josie, and presumably the others, were finally wondering where he was, but when he caught her eye she only grinned, gave him the signal for “we’re leaving in five minutes”, and disappeared back into the bar again, leaving him flushed for a full minute before sorting himself out. Great. Now he’d have them teasing him all the way to the next bar and then home again. And the night bus always took forever.

Dorian had noticed the exchange, and Cullen was sure he’d seen a flicker of disappointment on the man’s face. Though maybe that was just wishful thinking. “Ah. I suppose your friends are wondering where you’ve got to, accosted by this charming man in the smoking area.” Dorian flashed him another smile that Cullen returned almost automatically already. Shit, why was he always such a sucker for a nice smile?

“To be honest they’re probably quite glad of it.” Cullen replied, stubbing out his cigarette with a sigh. “Apparently I spend too much time with a serious expression on my face, and it’s bad for my health.”

Dorian pretended to gasp. “Well we can’t have that. Here, take this.” He handed a small card to Cullen, who raised an eyebrow as he took it. It was a business card, details of a vintage and vinyl store on it.

“I don’t get it…” He said flatly, making Dorian laugh again.

“Other side. Although you should definitely visit that store. I hear the owner is devilishly handsome with exceptional facial hair.” Oh, now Cullen got it, and he smiled at the phone number scribbled on the back. Of course someone like Dorian carried these in his pocket ready.

“I should… probably go.” What was someone meant to say in this situation? Cullen really didn’t understand the dating scene sometimes. “I uh, guess I’ll call you?”

“I daresay you will.”

*

Cullen made it approximately 10 steps from Ziegfrid Von Underbelly’s before Cassandra had taken the card and his phone, called Dorian herself, then sent him right back feeling sheepish but secretly very pleased for his prying, interfering friends.

Especially the next morning when he woke up in a bed that wasn’t his.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a smut chapter. There isn't much more to it than that.
> 
> What happened when they left the club~

The door clicked behind him and Cullen found himself standing in a clean and tidy flat that was at least two buses away from his familiar share-house in Dalston, which meant he was pretty much stranded now. How Dorian was able to afford something like this while running a vintage shop he couldn’t even imagine, though it was usually rich parents. Not a question he was going to ask, especially when Dorian pressed him against the door and kissed him hard.

Cullen couldn’t remember the last time he’d had sex, and honestly right now that was a blessing, because thinking about it would probably be a massive buzzkill. Better to focus on the moment, of the moustache tickling his upper lip, the warm weight of another human being, and the taste of cigarettes that weren’t his. Dorian was attractive, funny, charming, and for some strange reason he seemed to be just as into Cullen as Cullen was into him. He really hoped he wouldn’t fuck it up.

Dorian was moving them towards his bedroom, and Cullen managed to only trip twice, once on his own boots as he kicked them off, and again on an unexpected rug. Given how jittery he felt that was probably as good as it was going to get, though he was grateful when there was a bed to sit on instead.

“So, uh, I don’t really do this…” Cullen said as Dorian pushed him down and begun an impressive assault on his neck with his teeth, while his hands begun undoing his shirt.

“Do what?” Dorian paused for a moment, dark eyes glancing up. “Christ you’re not a virgin are you?”

“What? No!” Cullen flushed, but thankfully Dorian stopped staring at him with a horrified expression and continued working at his shirt instead, making an irritated sound when he saw Cullen was wearing a t shirt underneath it.

“Really, why are you wearing so many layers?” He complained, sitting up for another kiss and letting Cullen remove the offending shirt himself, which he did of course.

“How are you not? It’s December!” Cullen still couldn’t quite believe that Dorian was happy to wander around in a sleeveless shirt at this time of year. Not that he minded now it was gone, leaving only an expanse of gorgeously brown skin, that he happily ran his hands over.

Dorian regarded his own shirtless form with a small smile that split into a grin as he noticed Cullen’s tattoos. “So you like dogs, huh?” He leant down to press kisses against each of the two paw prints on Cullen’s neck, making him shiver.

Cullen didn’t answer; his hand was too busy trailing down to squeeze the obvious bulge in Dorian’s skinny jeans instead. The little moan he got in return made his own cock twitch as it remembered how sex worked. Shit how long had it been? Months. Months of jerking off over porn and wishing he wasn’t so incapable of speaking to people. And here he was.

“How the hell do you wear jeans so tight?” Cullen was amazed, watching Dorian pull them with the kind of effortless grace that only came with practice. And wearing skinny jeans every day. Cullen was glad his own clothes came off a little easier.

“How are you still wearing a hat in my bed?” Dorian shot back, raising a well-groomed eyebrow.

Cullen flushed, pulling it off and letting his ridiculous curls free for the first time that evening. Dorian at least seemed pleased, and they resumed kissing with enthusiasm. Cullen was so very aware of how long it had been now, and when Dorian’s hands started to tug his boxers down he made an embarrassing squeaking noise that he tried to cover as a cough.

Naked in a strange man’s bed, what would his friends say if they saw him now? Actually scratch that, he didn’t want to know. But Dorian was hardly some lecher, he’d been funny, charming, and had blown off all his friends just to talk to Cullen all night, and they hadn’t even had too much to drink. As possible one-night-stands went, he could have done worse.

Dorian was blissfully unaware of Cullen’s current train of thought, as one hand reached out to the bedside table, rummaging for a condom and lube. That certainly snapped him out of his ridiculous inner monologues and Cullen flushed again. “Top or bottom?” Dorian asked, as casually as if he was asking the time.

“Um…”

Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea. It was probably too soon. Why hadn’t he just asked Dorian out for a coffee? A moment of mad confidence had led to him suggesting getting out of there, and Dorian had looked surprised before agreeing quite happily. Cullen didn’t want him to think he wasn’t interested, because he was, he so was, but…

“Uh, bottom? I guess.” That was easy.

Dorian looked a little surprised, but he didn’t say anything as he leaned down for another kiss while his skilled hands moved downwards. Cullen decided in that moment to stop thinking entirely, and just enjoy some casual sex for the first time in who knew how long.

Slick fingers probed gently downwards and Cullen bit his lip as he spread his legs. Dorian’s hands did not disappoint, one wrapped around his cock as the fingers of the other stretched him carefully but thoroughly. Dorian had clearly picked up on the fact it had been a while since Cullen had done this last, though with his performance he was sure it could be seen from space.

It hadn’t put off Dorian at least, who was watching his face intently, murmuring a steady stream of encouragement that Cullen wasn’t listening to in case his face went any redder. It wasn’t a good look.

Dorian eventually pulled back, and Cullen whined at the loss, body already keen for more. He knew he should probably do something to make this a little more of a group effort, but he was distracted by the sight of Dorian’s tattooed arms as the man rolled a condom onto his cock.

“You ready?” Dorian asked, and Cullen pulled him down for a needy kiss that seemed to answer the question well enough.

The first thrust drew a little gasp from Cullen, and he clung to Dorian’s shoulders as he got used to the feeling again. Dorian, it seemed, never stopped talking, and he continued to narrate quite happily about how good it felt, how hot Cullen was, punctuated with lots of moans. Cullen was much quieter, all gasps and soft sounds that Dorian seemed to be enjoying drawing out of him by changing the pace and angle of his thrusts.

He earned a proper moan when Dorian wrapped a still-slick hand around Cullen’s neglected cock, and Cullen finally stopped thinking and let his back arch and his hands twist in the sheets. And damn, he’d forgotten how good an orgasm felt when it wasn’t from your own hand and bad porn.

He came over his stomach, and he couldn’t even muster the ability to be embarrassed about how quickly he’d finished as Dorian pumped his hips a few more times before moaning long and loud and beautifully before collapsing on top of him.

“Fuck me…” Cullen breathed as he tried to regain some composure.

“Fairly sure I just did.” Dorian replied with a smirk, pushing himself up to dispose of the condom and to grab his abandoned t shirt to wipe up the mess Cullen had made of himself. Usually he’d be mortified, but there was something about afterglow that just made him not give a damn what state he was in.

Dorian moved only once more to turn off the light, and Cullen rolled himself under the covers. He assumed he was staying now, being kicked out would be depressing as hell. And he didn’t really know where they were. And he was going to be walking funny for a couple of hours yet, so he’d rather not walk at all. And there was the slight niggling feeling that he actually rather liked Dorian, and wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more of him. A lot more maybe. If he was allowed.

“So tomorrow,” Dorian mumbled sleepily into Cullen’s hair as they arranged themselves in his bed. “We should get breakfast at the local cafe. They do a great fry up. And then you should take me somewhere, because I showed you my bar so now it’s your turn. Then maybe your place. Actually definitely your place.”

Cullen grinned in the dark. That was much better than being kicked to the curb. So much better. “Yeah. I’d like that.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *goes to add "past Samson/Cullen" to the tags list*

Cullen really hated the word ‘dating’, perhaps it was his middle-class upbringing, but he found it a silly and flimsy word with no real meaning. He preferred ‘seeing’, and whenever anyone asked him if he was dating Dorian he’d huff and say he was seeing Dorian. ‘Seeing’ was vaguer, less implications. They were meeting for coffees, drinks in the evenings, they were having sex ( _so_ much sex), and Dorian had even met his housemates.

Maybe by now it was acceptable to use the term ‘boyfriend’, but Cullen didn’t like that either, and ‘partner’ was too serious after just three weeks of coffees, drinks, and sex. Even with the added housemates. Leliana had charmed him, Josephine had endeared him, and Cassandra had intimidated him, but all-in-all Dorian now felt welcomed into their lives.

Or at least that’s what Cullen assumed; judging by the fact Dorian was happily wrapped up in his duvet with no indication he was getting up even as Cullen pulled on his shoes. His usually immaculately styled hair was a mess, and his moustache was uncurled, but this was how Cullen liked him best he’d decided, though that thought was dangerously close to being ‘partners’.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.” He said softly as he gave Dorian’s temple a kiss. The one benefit of teaching at a community college was that he could work part time and still have just enough money to live on. Everything else about it was awful of course, but it left him more time to do his own thing. Like writing the book that was a half-finished mess of Word document. And being able to see Dorian more than was probably appropriate for just ‘seeing’ him.

“Get me a coffee on the way back please.” Dorian mumbled from the pillow as Cullen left his room. He drank significantly more than Cullen did when they went out, and although he always seemed fine at the time he had the worst hangovers. Or maybe he was just a bad morning person. Or both. Cullen hadn’t asked.

Dalston was quiet at 7am, and the walk to the Overground station was blissfully quiet, save the occasional bus roaring past. Cullen hovered outside the station to finish his cigarette, hunching over in a way that made Dorian prod at him when they were together. “You’ll ruin your back if you stand like that.” He always said, and Cullen smiled to himself as he straightened up.

Apparently not a good move, as it caught the attention of another station loiterer, who stepped closer. “Got a lighter?” A raspy voice, but one Cullen recognised, and he turned slowly.

“Sam.” Was there anything worse than running into an ex first thing on a Thursday morning? Cullen couldn’t even force a smile.

“Well fuck me.” Samson grinned as he looked Cullen up and down in that infuriating way people from six months ago did when they saw him again. Cullen felt himself hunching again almost automatically. “It’s been a while. You living round here now?” Samson sounded a little incredulous, and Cullen wanted to hit him. He wasn’t the same person as he was six months ago.

“Yes.” Why did he say that? Fuck.

Samson looked half-impressed and half-annoyed. “You look good.” A begrudging admission.

“You look… the same.” Cullen replied flatly. He reached into his pocket for his phone, an instant defensive gesture. Dorian’s sent him a text that’s just a picture of his room from the angle of the man in his bed in a ridiculous filter. That didn’t help as much as it should.

Samson looked at him in a way that made him very uncomfortable, and Cullen had never been more grateful for public transport. “I should… get my train…” He said, offering his lighter to Samson in an apologetic gesture.

“Yeah. See you around.” It was a statement and not a question, and Cullen had never been more grateful for the barriers at Dalston Kingsland station before. The more distance he put between him and Samson the better.

He just made his train, and his phone buzzed in his pocket. A text from a number he didn’t have saved, but knew who it was immediately. Great, so Samson still had his phone number. Cullen could have kicked something.

For the biggest city in England, it sure was a tiny world sometimes. Or maybe it just his shitty luck that he’d run into his ex for the first time since their spectacularly messy break-up when he had the person he liked rather a lot waiting for him at home. And he’d given Samson his only lighter.

It was going to be a long fucking morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk... It was shameless fluff based on a cute picture by starfleetspectre...

“Smile!”

Cullen didn’t smile, and the result was a photograph of a bemused looking man with a cup of strange coffee that his kind-of-but-not-really boyfriend had ordered him. Dorian liked some strange things, but it meant he got along really well with Cassandra as they compared different things you could do with kale or couscous or whatever was hip and cool to eat right now. Dorian did everything with a quirk, but in a way that wasn’t pretentious or forced, he was just genuinely a little eccentric around the edges, that Cullen found endearing. Even with the weird drinks he bought for him.

“I really wish you’d stop taking my photo everywhere we go.” Cullen sighed. He’d never been much good at photographs; he’d get a deer in the headlights look to him, or stand really awkwardly. Dorian however was obsessed with ‘capturing the moment’ and barely went an hour without pulling his phone out to get a snapshot.

“But you’re the most popular thing on my Instagram!” Dorian looked offended, and Cullen narrowed his eyes at him.

“Instagram?” Cullen raised an eyebrow.

Dorian looked at him like he was an alien, and moved round to his side of the table. “Look, see how many likes you get? Besides, most of them are just for me. Because I like looking at you.”  

Despite the sweet sentiment, Cullen rolled his eyes, not really understanding the point of it. Dorian saw him almost every day; he didn’t need so many photos. But Dorian had handed him his phone and his curiosity got the better of him.

Cullen flicked through the photos. He had to admit, Dorian had captured a few good moments. Cullen deep in conversation with Josephine over drinks, Cullen looking out the window on the overground, Cullen face down in a pillow fast asleep in Dorian’s room… Then the next shot made Cullen turn red. “Dorian!”

“What? It’s a good shot!” It was a good shot, Cullen facing away from the camera, standing in the middle of Dorian’s room and stretching out with the morning light hitting his muscles in the right places. But then again he was naked. And Cullen was easily embarrassed by things like that.

“You better not have put a photo of my arse on instagram!”

“Of course not.” Dorian smirked, eyes glinting mischievously. “That one is just for me.”

Once again Cullen was hit with an overwhelming desire to get some clarification on their budding relationship. He liked Dorian a lot, enjoyed spending time with him, but the further down the line they got, the more uneasy he felt. It hadn’t been that long since Sam, he didn’t know if he was ready to be committed, while at the same time craving it. And then there was Dorian, who was as much a mystery to Cullen as the day they met.

Cullen’s phone buzzed in his pocket, making him jump a little. Dorian quirked an eyebrow as Cullen turned away slightly to read it. As if he knew he was thinking about him, a text from Samson.  Cullen had tried very hard not to reply to the various messages, but he’d never been very good at ignoring Samson. He kept it light, casual, and definitely vague.

“Nothing important.” He said, and while Dorian didn’t look convinced, he let it go.

“Shit, my break’s almost over.” Dorian sighed. “Walk me back?”

Cullen nodded, finishing his coffee (seriously what was in that?) and following Dorian out onto the noisy street. They paused only for a moment to light their cigarettes. Dorian’s little shop was a ten minute walk away on Brick Lane, a surprisingly popular vintage and vinyl store.

As they walked Cullen almost jumped out of his skin as he felt Dorian’s hand meet his own, and he flushed as the other man laced their fingers together. When was the last time he’d held hands with someone in public that wasn’t Josie when she was drunk? He couldn’t remember.

“Are you coming over tonight?” Dorian asked casually, as Cullen tried to force himself to stop blushing like a teenager. “I’d come to yours, but I thought Cassandra was going to kill us both when we woke her up the other day so we should probably avoid her wrath a little longer.” Well that didn’t help the red cheeks. Cullen had quickly realised the downside to having housemates that morning, especially when one was an angry vegan who was quite happy to bang on the door and shout at them rather just put some music on. He still couldn’t look her in the eye.

“Yeah, I’ll come over.” He managed to answer without squeaking or sounding too ridiculous, and Dorian beamed at him in that way that made his stomach somersault.

They reached Dorian’s shop, and he sighed a little as he dropped Cullen’s hand in favour of making sure his hair looked immaculate. “Good. Now I just have to get through a few more hours while suppressing some very filthy daydreams.”

“You’re just doing this on purpose now.” Cullen grumbled.

Dorian laughed. “Of course. See you later, don’t keep me waiting.” He leaned in for a kiss and Cullen was sure his brain was screaming at him to just ask him what this was. But he was cowardly at the best of times. Maybe later. At Dorian’s. After whatever Dorian had planned for him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty smut smut, but also plot... 
> 
> I'd forgotten I'd made them switch... my love for bottom!Cullen was compromised D:

If Cullen were being honest he’d say he preferred being at Dorian’s flat than his house. His housemates were his best friends sure, but it was hard to relax when he knew that if they made too much noise then anyone down in the living room could hear them almost word perfectly. Dorian’s flat was self contained, quiet, and it meant they were completely alone. It was easier to let go of his anxieties when it didn’t feel like he had an audience.

He’d met Dorian at the shop like he’d promised, though Cullen had kept his hands rammed deep in the pockets of his coat on the walk back to the flat, just in case Dorian tried to hold his hand again. Dorian didn’t seem to notice, or if he did he didn’t mind, chatting away happily while gesticulating with the elaborateness that Cullen had come to expect of him. Dorian had commented once, post-coital of course, that he enjoyed being around Cullen because Cullen could just shut up and listen and sometimes he needed that.

The door of the flat clicked shut behind them, and Dorian didn’t even bother to turn on the light as he pushed Cullen into his bedroom, pulling at his coat, his scarf, flinging the ratty beanie that Cullen always wore onto the floor. Cullen got the hint, pausing from kissing Dorian only to remove the offending bits of clothing.

His knees hit the bed and he let himself fall back onto it, hands going straight to his jeans to lose them next as he watched Dorian strip off with significantly more grace. The now familiar tattoos came into view and Cullen felt his pulse quicken. He may be confused about what they were outside of the bedroom, but he could understand this.

“Lie back.” Dorian said with a wicked grin. “I’ve been thinking about riding you all afternoon.” Then he laughed at Cullen’s face, lit up by the streetlamp outside.  

Cullen did as he was told, watching as Dorian rummaged in the bedside table for a condom and lube, throwing it onto the mattress beside them as he climbed on top of Cullen. Straddling him he leaned down for another kiss, slower and sweeter than the feverish ones from before. He didn’t pull away until Cullen made a noise against his mouth. Dorian always did like to tease him like that.

Reaching blindly for the bottle of lube Cullen slicked his fingers, edging Dorian a little closer so he could reach. He looked up at Dorian’s face as he eased in a single digit, enjoying the low moan he pulled from him.

How long had they been doing this now? A month at least. Cullen kept trying not to think about it for too long. He liked Dorian, liked spending time with him in and out of the bedroom. He made him laugh, even when he didn’t always understand his obsessions.

Keen for something else to think about, Cullen moved his head up slightly so he could take Dorian’s cock into his mouth as he pushed a second finger inside him. Dorian moaned, braced over Cullen’s head and holding onto the wrought metal of the headboard. That was better. Focusing on the moment was something Cullen could do for now.

He ran his tongue up the length of Dorian’s cock as his fingers thrust lazily, until the other man was practically bouncing on them in his impatience. “Can you please stop your shameless teasing?” He looked down at Cullen, who met his eyes and tried to look innocent even with Dorian’s cock nudging his cheek.

“If you’re ready.” He said diplomatically, laughing as Dorian made a huffing noise and moved back down the bed, the fingers retreating. Cullen watched as Dorian tore open the foil packet with his teeth and rolled a condom onto him, he didn’t miss the very deliberate way Dorian ran his hand down his cock, and he bucked his hips slightly.

They didn’t waste any more time as Dorian lined Cullen up and sank down on top of him, throwing his head back shamelessly as he moaned. Dorian was always so confident, uninhibited even when they slept together in Cullen’s crowded share-house. Cullen was always quiet in comparison, though when Dorian rolled his hips he groaned.

The bed rocked and creaked as Dorian started a steady rhythm, riding Cullen hard and his hands finding the bed frame again to give him more leverage. Cullen ran his hands everywhere he could reach, up Dorian’s thighs, over his stomach, up his chest, then back down again to wrap around his cock, letting Dorian move into it with every movement of his hips.

It was easy to push away any intrusive thoughts when he was like this; every sense was too full of Dorian for him to think about anything else. Cullen found himself staring up at him, the sweat on his forehead, the way his eyes were closed in pleasure and concentration. He was gorgeous.

And as always, it felt like it was over too soon. Cullen felt himself tensing, and when Dorian came over their stomachs the sight alone meant he was gone too. Dorian collapsed onto him and they both lay there for a moment, as they always did. No doubt they’d fuck again before they went to sleep, but Cullen found himself wanting to cling onto the moments where they both just let go and enjoyed each other.

Eventually Dorian pushed himself up, and Cullen dealt with the condom as the other man wiped himself down. Cullen rolled back into bed, watching as Dorian moved across the room to his discarded coat, rummaging in the pockets for the tin with his tobacco in. He seated himself on the window sill, still naked, rolling a cigarette in a way that reminded Cullen so much of someone else that he spoke without thinking.

“What  _is_  this?”

“Hm?” Dorian didn’t glance up from his fingers.  

“I mean, what is this? Between you and me? What are we?” Cullen really wished he’d put his boxers back on before he’d started this conversation, but he pulled the duvet up and turned to look at Dorian, who still wasn’t looking at him.

There was a pause. “What would you like it to be?” The question was so simple, but Cullen had no idea what to say. He rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling, and only once his eyes were off Dorian’s face did he feel that familiar stare boring into him.

“I don’t know.” He answered honestly, eyes flicking over to Dorian as the other man lit his cigarette, the flame lighting up his face for a moment. He looked uncharacteristically stoical. “I… well I’ve been in a relationship before. It didn’t end very well.”  _And I’m terrified of it happening again._  Dorian didn’t need to hear that bit.

Dorian tapped his cigarette deftly over an ash tray. “This doesn’t have to be anything, but I do rather like spending time with you. And I’d like to keep doing it.” Dorian leaned over to pass Cullen the roll-up, their fingers brushing.

“So would I.” Cullen admitted, sitting up properly. “I like you.”

Dorian’s lips quirked into a smile, though Cullen could see the moustache move more clearly than his lips in the gloom. “Well I’d hope so.” He said, but it was affectionate. He got up off the window sill and moved back to the bed, sitting on the edge and running his hand through Cullen’s curls as Cullen tried not to blow smoke into his face.

“I need to get better at afterglow conversation.” Cullen said glumly, but the peal of laughter that earned him from Dorian made him smile.

“We’ll practice. Next time you can start by telling me how fantastic I was.” Dorian leaned in for a kiss, tasting of their shared roll-up. He plucked it from Cullen’s fingers, taking one more drag before stubbing it out and joining Cullen under the duvet.

Cullen shifted close, so his head was on Dorian’s chest and the other man’s hand was in his hair. He might have to tell Dorian more about his past eventually, but Cullen wanted to put that off for as long as possible. Somewhere on the floor in the pocket of his abandoned jeans his phone buzzed, but Cullen didn’t look at his texts that night.  


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Dorian, just Cullen and Cassandra being best friends. Cassandra is in a poly relationship with Varric and Vivienne because... why not? xD 
> 
> Polyamourous Vegan Warrior Princess-working-in-media Cass makes me the happiest...

Cullen had lost track of how many years he’d been friends with Cassandra now. They’d met on their first day of University, living in rooms opposite each other. She was studying politics, he was studying history, they both liked serious films about wars, but got hooked on ‘Eastenders’ for the whole of that year. From halls to their first student house, and then they’d been living together intermittently ever since. They’d even slept together once in third year, but it had never gone any further as they realised they were just better as the kind of friends who knew everything about each other.

Things hadn’t been quite so easy over the last couple of years, university long behind them. Samson had driven a wedge between them that they’d been fighting to get back since Cullen had turned up on her doorstep six months ago after nearly a year of not talking. Now they were living with Leliana and Josephine and things almost felt back to how they’d been before.

It had been Cassandra’s suggestion to go out to the vegan cafe in Hackney she’d decided was her new favourite, and Cullen had reluctantly agreed to put his meat-eating habit to one side for an evening. Between Cassandra’s not one, but two lovers and Cullen’s own fledgling… something, they’d barely had a chance to spend time together. Even so, he’d grinned as they’d settled at a table. “Come on Cass, two partners and you’re still stuck with me?”

She flicked his arm across the table for that, but grinned. “Vivienne has a gallery opening tomorrow, so she’ll be driving herself crazy with preparation tonight. And Varric has a deadline so he’s writing. Looks like I’m stuck with you for now.”

“I don’t know how you do it. A full time job, two relationships, and you still have time to go to the gym every other day.” Cullen shook his head. Cassandra always had been an overachiever.

“I like to be busy.” Cassandra replied off-handedly, glancing down at the menu. “Besides, should _I_ be grilling  _you_  over your new relationship shouldn’t I?”

Cullen shifted a little in his seat, grateful for the sudden interruption of the waiter. Cassandra ordered for him, he had no idea what half the things on the menu were. Vegan food would remain a bizarre mystery to him. Cassandra looked at her phone for a moment, frowning as she saw what was on her screen. “Ugh. Speak of the devil. You should tell Dorian to put on shirts.”

“Excuse me?” Cullen blinked.

“Look.” She turned her phone so he could see the picture of Dorian, shirtless and winking at the camera.

“Snapchat?” Cullen hazarded a guess. Dorian had explained the basics to him, and while he had the app, he had yet to use it. He didn’t really understand the point of only having a photo for a few seconds.

“He posts endlessly. Look at them all!” Cassandra flicked through the photos of Dorian, and Cullen flushed as he saw a few of the two of them together, including one of him still asleep and Dorian grinning wickedly at his shoulder.

Cullen looked up at Cassandra with a sudden glare. “Wait why have you saved these?”

Cassandra had the decency to look a little embarrassed, though she still managed to sound smug when she replied. “Vivienne likes to see them. She says the two of you are an aesthetically pleasing couple.”

“Christ…” Cullen shook his head as Cassandra put her phone back in her pocket, looking a little sheepish. “And for the record we’re not… I mean we are… I don’t know.” Cassandra raised an eyebrow, but she had this frustratingly effective way of making Cullen speak by simply saying nothing at all. “I like him.” Cullen admitted. “A lot. And he said he likes me. But it feels too soon.”

“It’s been a month. At least.” Cassandra pointed out. “And given you’re sleeping together, I’d have thought a relationship would be the easy part.”

“Sex is easy.” Cullen flushed as he saw Cassandra caught off guard. “It is! I don’t have to think about it then. It’s afterwards that I think too much then don’t know what to say. And he’s so…”

“Dorian?”

“Exactly. I’ve never met someone like him before. I don’t want to mess it up.”

“You know what I think?” Cassandra started in a way that meant she was definitely going to tell him. “I think Dorian is good for you. He’s insane maybe, but he’s fun and means well. And we’ve all seen the way he looks at you. Josie can’t stop talking about it when you’re not around.” Cassandra smiled as Cullen looked torn between defensive and grateful. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you so happy, not since… well… him.”

Even after six months Cassandra couldn’t say Samson’s name, and Cullen’s gut curled with guilt that he hadn’t told her that he was speaking to him again. He knew she’d be upset by it. He’d only seen her cry twice, once when her brother had died when she was 21, and the second when she’d opened the door to Cullen, pale and shaking with nowhere else to go.

They were broken out of their moment by the arrival of food, and the relief was clear on both their faces. Cassandra took a long gulp of her fizzy water, obviously drowning any threatening emotion. She set down her glass and gave him a long look. “Dorian is good for you. Don’t fuck it up.” She said simply, and Cullen couldn’t stop himself bursting out into laughter.

“That’s what you said about that girl I tried to date years ago. Then she ended up sleeping with Leliana.” He chuckled at the memory, reminding himself to look her up on facebook later. He was sure she was married now.

“We got Leliana out of it at least.” Cassandra smirked, and they both relaxed. “Now eat your food and be converted.”

“I will never stop eating animals Cass, never.” Cullen poked at the greenery on his plate and suppressed the look of disgust. Only for her.  

“Barbarian.” Cassandra replied easily, giving him a gentle kick under the table, making Cullen laugh again.

“It’s why you love me.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at http://stripeydani.tumblr.com/


End file.
